Metallic alloy



Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES- HENRY J. LORANG, ors r;

PATENT J OFFICE LOIIIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK J".

KUNA, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI .METALICIC ALLOY No Drawing.

This invention relates to an improved me- I tallic alloy .for use, more particularly, as a tricity.

percentage indicated:

'Per cent Copper 1 Zinc I Tin 6% Lead i 21% Antimony l 68% It is generally desirable to add about 1% more of zinc than indicated in the formula to allow for the loss which usually occurswhen the zinc and copper are melted.

In addition to the metallic elements, there is added manganese dioxide and borax in the proportion of one-fourth of an ounce of each,

to to one pound of the mixed metals.

In preparing the alloy, the copper and zinc are first mixed and melted together, the resulting product being in the nature of brass.

The'antimonyandbrass are then placed in a crucible containing the borax and manganese dioxide and melted, and the tin and lead are then added. I have found that the best results are secured when the tin and lead are added to the other melted metals when the molten mass is at a temperature of about 1000 F.

Before using the borax, it is first melted down and allowed to harden and then ground and mixed with the manganese dioxide and the two are then mixed with the metals, either by being placed in the crucible in which the metals are melted, or by being mixed with the metals prior to placing them in the crucible. The borax acts as a flux and tends to prevent oxidation and consequent loss of an-' timony from the mlxture. The manganese dioxide operates to render the alloy less brittle and less porous and, in general, acts to toughen the alloy. Neither the borax nor the Application filed December 24, 1928. Serial No. 828,318.

manganese dioxide form any appreciable I combination with the metals, but they apparently act in the nature of catalytic agents to produce the results stated on the alloy. Both of them float on the melted mixture and prevent the formation of dross. In pouring the metal, a skimmer is used to hold the manganesedioxide and borax back as the melted alloy is poured from the container. A fresh quantity of manganese dioxide andborax may be used for each batch if desired. where large quantities are melted at a time; but where only small quantities, say, two or three pounds, of the alloy are melted at a time, the mixture of borax and manganese dioxide may be used for two or three melt-ings. some impurities ultimately become mixed with the manganese dioxide and borax floating on top of the metallic batch, and for this'reason, in commercial production in large quantities, it is desirable to use a fresh quantity of borax and manganese dioxide with each batch.

My improved heating element can be very cheaply produced, as compared with heating elements which have heretofore been em- 7L ployed, such, for instance, as those containing a large proportionof silver or tin. As heretofore employed, heating elements have been made in the form of wire wrapped around a core and hermetically enclosed in a casing. 30 They are relatively quite expensive, as, aside from the cost of labor in drawing,the-wire and constructing the heatin elements, the alloy employed would proba ly cost in excess of $1.00 a pound. As compared with these prior, 5 heating elements, my heating element can be produced very cheaply, the alloy, at the present price of metals, costing approximately fifteen cents a pound. Myheating elements are cast in the form of bars and are, therefore, very much cheaper to manufacture than heating elements necessitating drawing the alloy into the form of wire, then winding the wire around a core, enclosing it in a casing, etc.

Another advantage of my heating element is that, as shown by experiments conducted over a long period of time, it does not appear to be attacked by the water it is heating. For example, a heating element which had been in continuous use for hours was calibrated 1 0 and it was impossible to discover the slightest diminution in its measurements.

Another very pronounced advantage of my improved heating element resides in the fact that owing to its composition, I find that the water can be brought to a given degree of heat, say, the boiling point, with the use of far less current than wouldbe required to raise the water to such degree of heat with other heating elements, such as are now, on

the market. While not attempting to give ascientific explanation of this fact, it is my opinion that it is due to the presence in my alloy of-a large percentage of antimony, as shown by the above formula, which metal, as known, ranks very low in the scale of conductors of electricity. There is also'probably involved some phenomena having to do with the rapidity, of heat interchange, as the heating element may be removed from boiling water and almost immediately taken in the hand, when itiwill be found tobe only com fortably warm.

The alloy bars which I employ are preferably circular in cross-section, being about five-sixteenths of an inch in dlameter, and

four inches in length. Other dimensions of the bars could, however, be employed.

-While the; manner of using the heating element is not involved in this application, it may be-stated, in the interest of a full dis closure, that while my heating elements may be installed in the radiator, or other container of water to be heated, to act in the capacity of anodes and-cathodes, respectively, I prefably install a number of -my.improved alloyed bars in a radiator or other metallic container of Water and connect them in multiple to one side of the current and ground the container.

The proportions of the ingredients which I use in making my alloy as given above, I have found to give the best results. I do not wish, however, to be limited to the exact proportions indicated, as variations therefrom within reasonable limits could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. Irrespective of the exact propor tions employed, an alloy constructed accordmg to my invention would always be characterized by a preponderating quantity of anantimony which consists in melting the mixture in the presence of manganese dioxide and borax, the latter two elements being used in the proportion of approximately one-fourth of an ounce of each to'one pound of the combined metals.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY J. LOBANG. 

